2008 Trip

Hey - I promised you a new page! Here it is.

Today I did something bold. I went to a hairdresser and had her put the clipper with the No3 comb over head and beard alike. Low maintenance style! Sorry there's no picture.

I also went for a drive and found a place where you can bush camp at a horse establishment way out of town. It only costs $6 a person but there's no power. The man in charge, Brian Coleman, is a really interesting character who plays the didgeridoo and guitar, has a wealth of yarns and is an expert horseman.

Visitors come from all over to stay there at the Juno Horse Centre and accomodation for people on tours is very substantial tents. Brian told me they often have several coach tours come in on the one night. A highlight for overseas visitors is a certificate they earn that says they are experienced at mustering cattle.

I had a cup of coffee with Brian while we talked and the picture emerged of a very experienced bushman with a keen desire to impart his love of the Australian bush to others.

Here's what a Google search turned up about the complex: The camping grounds at Juno Horse Centre are set deep in bushland adjacent to cattle and horse yards. In the evenings, guests can observe cattle and horses as they come down to have a drink in the peaceful bush setting. By night guests can relax in the natural surrounds of the Juno Horses Centre bush camp, under a brilliant display of night stars. I don't suppose you are interested but I did the washing and got it dry this afternoon. My pillow case was showing the effects of all the red dust in my hair and my nine pairs of socks were all dirty. I also filled the water tanks and the water tank for the cassette toilet. Just thought you should know.

Roasted lamb shanks with baked onion, carrot and potato was what I cooked for tea and some Half Mile Creek red washed it down nicely.

Day 25
Today was spent doing what I really enjoy - driving. I left Tennant Creek just after 10am with no destination in mind. I just knew I'd decided to go further north so didn't have to toss a coin at Three Ways.

There's a memorial for The Rev. John Flynn at Three Ways commemorating the great work he did to bring 'A Mantle of Safety over the Outback' as he called the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Before the coming of road trains for transporting cattle, drovers used to make incredible drives with herds of cattle through the harsh, unforgiving outback bush. Newcastle Waters was a small township at the end of one of these stock routes and a memorial has been set up there to mark the end of droving days.

Looking at the km I'd already done today and then how far it was on to the Daly Waters Hotel and my destination was decided so just over 400km after leaving Tennant Creek, I pulled up at the most remote traffic light in Australia. I've stayed here before and it's always a hoot but I was amazed when I saw how many RVs they have fitted into the campground. I secured an unpowered site for $5 and a Barra and Beef dinner for $25. I reckon it will be $30 well spent. They even asked how I liked my steak cooked!

Time has passed and I've been for my meal. I was right - it was a lovely meal, the steak was rare just as I'd ordered, and good entertainment. The way this place is catering for the great increase in custom is by staggering the meals - mine was for 7.30 but the 6.30 people had already had their's and the 8 o'clockers hadn't started!

I sat on a table with a couple who were cycling from Pt Augusta to Darwin and then flying back to work in Melbourne. They had travelled by train to Pt Augusta to start their journey.

I didn't bother putting the tv antenna up so it will be an early night tonight. I can't put this on the net till tomorrow because there is no service inside the van and it's too dark to stand outside.

Day 26

I did a Cook's Tour before leaving the Daly Waters Pub today. Here are a few pictures to give you a taste of what it's like

I drove from there to Katherine and booked in for two nights at Shady Lane Caravan Park on the banks of the Katherine River and on the way out to the Gorge. After getting settled in, I did a tour of the town and refreshed my memories of the caravan parks. Vi and I previously stayed at four parks and this makes five. It's a bit out of town but that's a plus!

I noticed the electoral office of local member Fay Miller. She was President of the Tourism Committee when I wrote up the caravan parks a good many years ago and just before the big flood which inundated the town. I called in but she was away in Alice Springs and will be back in the office on Monday - I may decide to stay a few more days here and catch up with her next week. Her secretary showed me pictures of a bad road accident she had when she suffered a broken neck - she's lucky to be alive.

There was no lpg again today until I got here - apparently the army came through recently and drained many of the servos. I guess they use it for cooking and there are lots of overseas units involved in joint exercises with our forces. It's a good thing I can use petrol.

Day 27 A bit of wind chill here when I got up but the day turned out fine and warm - around 30 degrees. I did decide to book for another three nights - that will allow me to catch up with my mail. Keith sends it to me in an Express packet c/- the Post Office.

I went into town to post a book - I still get internet orders but this is one that I donated through ExploreOz. While out and about I thought I'd have a look at the Brahmin Stud we toured when we came to Katherine before the big flood. I found the property but it's changed hands twice since we did our tour. We did the tour in a 4x4 but then did a bit of paddock bashing on quad-bikes.Vi had a go as well but only around the yard.

I found a very heavy but solid three lift antenna mast for $49.95 in a camping shop that seemed to have everything. My aluminium one had gradually got shorter as it sheared off at the bottom mounting on the rear bumper. The new one is steel and with the bracket I made is very solid and puts the antenna very high if needed.

The Ghan was in at the Katherine Station but I didn't have the camera in the car. What a long train it is. I'll try to get a pic while I'm here as it comes back through on Sunday. Putting the new line in must have been a huge job - when I went exploring yesterday I was surprised to find a railway bridge over the Katherine River near the Springvale Homestead but then I remembered the new Ghan.

The electric frypan got its first use tonight when I cooked a beef and mushroom casserole with red wine. All simmering away gently while I chatted to neighbors while sipping a drop of red. Not a lot of finesse to my cooking - just diced beef, chopped onion, carrots, capsicum, mushies, diced spuds, celery, tomato and of course red wine and black pepper. Just for luck I threw in a sachet of tomato paste and some origano. Enough left for another night as well!

Day 28
This was not a good day. I've been having trouble with cracked heels and treating them with Heel Balm but the right one wasn't responding.Today I woke to terrible pain in my groin and I could hardly walk. It meant a visit to the doctor and a dose of antibiotics. I felt awful and went to bed as soon as I got home and stayed there until the next afternoon - getting up only for comfort stops and to swallow pills! I'm still pretty weak and I've decided not to go further north.

Day 29 (I Think)
When I finally got up I rang daughter Jackie and told her how things were and she said, "Get to the hospital". I'd been thinking of it anyway so I drove the few km there and staggered to the ER. While I was sitting for two hours or more waiting to see a doctor I looked at my leg anf saw a reddish patch appearing. The doc asked how long I'd had that and I said only since coming here!

They admitted me and put me on intravenous anti-biotics and the rest of Sunday was just a blur.

Days 30 - 37 I awoke to find the leg swollen and bright red nearly all over. It hurt. I had a fullblown case of cellulitis and they put me on four hourly penicillin plus flucoxicillin (Check the spelling yourselves!) I wasn't hungry and couldn't eat. I had nothing to read and no interest in reading. The days were long - the nights longer. The doctors expected an improvement by Wednesday but instead it was spreading. They called a specialist in Darwin who told them another drug to try. They stopped the penicillin and doubled the flucox... and added the new drug orally.

It seemed to be slowly doing the trick until I woke on Saturday to intense itching on my back, When the nurse looked she said it was a bad rash all over my back. This spread to be on my stomach, legs and inner thighs and itched like fury. Apparently it was a side-effect from the new drug started on Wednesday. More consultations with Darwin and once again a new drug - this time orally. Dr Cecilia said on Saturday that it looked like I'd be their guest for a few more days.

On Sunday came the surprising and great news that despite the rash which would clear up now the 'trigger' had been stopped the cellulitis was responding well and providing the blood tests showed continued improvement I could go home! I'd seen so many people come and go in our four bed ward that it didn't seem possible that it was me leaving after being confined to bed with leg elevated for eight days.

It was great to be back in the van and I lost no time in letting the family know the good news. They were thrilled - they had been very worried with dad up there in the remote NT and with no way for them to get to see me.

The nurses and the rest of the staff at the hospital were great - cheerful, friendly and efficient. If you happen to read this guys and gals - thanks!

Day 38 Up to date at last.
I didn't do much today except rejoice that I was out of hospital and things were looking up. I caught up with some of the mountain of emails that were in my inbox and went through the 200+ in the junk folder looking for any that had been filtered out but were not junk. I found about ten so the exercise was worthwhile.

Rod and Marion from the Southern Nomads Branch of the ACC came; to see if there was anything they could do to help me and said they would be in Katherine all week and would come each day to see if I needed anything.

The itch is still bad but not as intense and the leg is still very painful to touch. I was given a weeks supply of pills and potions to swallow so by the time they are all down the hatch I'm hoping the symptoms will have disappeared.

It's warm. 32 degrees in the day and a min of 15 degrees. There's a sign for degrees but it's on the alternate keyboard and I can't be fussed to find it.

The car had a holiday today and so did I.

Day 39
Feeling pretty good today and caught up with a few people by using Skype.

I decided to put the awning out now I'm taking up semi-permanent residence but my friend Murphy had seized up one of the rafters and it wouldn't move. I have a special tool for such jobs - it's called a sledge hammer! A few judicious taps got it moving and then an application of RP7 had it better than new. So no Rod - it wasn't there to crack the nuts I was eating for lunch.

After lunch I revisited the hospital - what a difference it made that I wasn't shut in the one room. There was a patient's kitchen, a sitting area, an outside covered verandah and other amenities that had been hidden from my view. I was there because I need to have a check up by a GP and I thought I should have been given a letter to take with me. It turns out that GPs anywhere in the N.Territory can access your notes by computer so that's OK.

I go to the Clinic in the morning so let's hope tomorrow's report is all good.

Rod and Marion dropped in to check on me and brought a couple of interesting books. I accessed the ACC Forum today and found a raft of goodwill messages from members. I replied with a report of my 'release' and sincere thanks for their messages.

Day 40 As I mentioned yesterday it was to the clinic today for a check that everything was progressing OK. Sit down in nthe doc's room and when she gets someone to ring the hospital and get them to fax the notes was told that the discharge summary hadn't been written yet!

She did the check up with me filling in details as I remembered them and I was given the thumbs up. What I really wanted to know was the name of the vile brew that had caused my rash. She is going to find out and have it to hand when I ring her next week.

While out in the car I took a look at a caravan park some 5km out of town heading west. The sign said 'large, shady sites' and that was true but the sign didn't warn you about all the crumbling, mouldering wrecks of caravans being lived in by numerous permanent residents. I won't be going there when I leave here next Monday or Tuesday.

Wendy came to see me this afternoon. She went to the hospital to see me on Monday only to find I flown the coop. She is the daughter of ACC members I know down south and is a delightful person. Her main purpose was to see if I needed anything that she could help with. It's the Katherine Show this weekend and she will be pretty busy as the agricultural collage where she works have a number of exhibits. Today's highlight was a bull with a mind of his own that broke free while being led around for judging.

The pic of my leg was supposed to arrive this afternoon but it's 10pm and I guess it won't be coming now.

Day 41 Every day sees a little improvement! Nowhere near as itchy so I got a much better sleep with only a couple of toilet visits to break the snoring. The leg's still pretty sore but there's another couple of days anibiotics to come and I'm hoping it will be much bbetter by then.

Darrell came this morning with the pics of my leg taken while I was in hospital and before the rash appeared. The black line is where a nurse drew the outline so they could see if it was shrinking or expending.

Here they are -

I went for a bit of a drive today as far as the Gorge but I didn't bother getting out to walk as the leg is still a bit painful.

On the way I called in at a helicopter place on the way and it was as I'd expected - they need a min of two people for a trip. However he took my mobile number and will ring if just a couple want to do a trip and there's room for another passenger. You MAY get some pictures to drool over if it happens. But don't hold your breath.

The other rivetting news is that I got my washing done and dried. With 32 degrees there's no problem getting it dry!

Day 42
Not a great deal to report today. Leg a little better.

Had a lovely family get-together via Skype - daughter Jackie said she itched just looking at the pic of my back!

Cobbled together a wiring system that lets me run the telly in the bedroom so I could watch in comfort with my leg up.

Sorted out a few things for the ACC Board Meeting tomorrow night. Tomorrow I must hook up an external antenna for the modem as I don't want the drop-outs that made the Swan Hill meeting a bit awkward at times.

Day 43

You've seen my leg in hospital so in case you think it's all beer and skittles now, here's a pic of it as at 4.00 pm today.

Not too much else of interest today apart from a very productive Board Meeting that was stightly marred by a drop out despite using the external antenna. I got a terrible back ache from sitting at the computer sideways with my leg up on a chair.

Great to get up from the table, walk around and go to bed.

Day 44 This was Monday I think. Laying on my bed with my leg up all day doesn't exactly make each day memorable.

Went to the clinic and booked in to see Dr Carpenter tomorrow morning as I've finished the antibiotis and thr legs not getting better. Watched ABC to pass the time.

Day 45
Went to the doc and she finally was able to get some info from the hospital.

She gave me another week of flucoxicillin as the leg is still red and painful.

Had a nice chat with Jackie and then Sue rang with the news that they were driving to Adelaide at the weekend to suprise Jackie who turns 50 on Sunday. Her son - my grandson Cam - is flying over as well. How I'd love to be there, Spent the rest of the evening searching the net and trying to work out a way to do it. There are no airline flights out of Katherine - you have to go to Darwin - 300 km north!

Day 46 You won't believe this! I'm typing this on board the Ghan on route to Adelaide via Alice Springs and will arrive at 1.15 pm on Friday. I drove the 14 km to the airport to confirm no services call there, then organised a script for more Panadene Forte in case the pain gets bad, booked the trip, researched a flight back to Darwin and coach from there to Katherine, got my scripts filled, bought a little travel case, packed and put the awning in, in case of high wind while I'm away. Taxi arrived before I was ready but threw it all together and was heading for the station by 5 pm.

Where was Murphy during all this I hear you ask. Well despite having a number from my booking I wasn't on the manifest! However they found me a seat - a window seat no less and I've had a Mrs Macks pie and a can of VB - first alcohol for three weeks.

I don't fancy sleeping in the seat! Tell you tomorrow. Besides the camera I found I didn't have the antibiotics so I'll have to organise something in the morning in the Alice.

Day 47
What a night!
There's no way you can sleep in those seats. No way to get my leg up either. I've never been so pleased to see the dawn breaking but then when we got to the Alice we all had to get out for three hours while they cleaned the train. However it gave me time to get to a chemist and ring the doc in Katherine. She kindly faxed a new script and I got my antibiotics so that a worry lifted.

The rest of the day passed easily enough and then came another night in the bloody uncomfortable seat. I acdtually had two seats and that helped slightly but there's no way I could face any more nights - it would be cheaper to go back by train but no way Jose.

As the train pulled into the station I got a call from son Chris - he'd managed to get away from work in time to pick me up which was great as I'd intended getting a cab.

We spent a nice evening catching up and then to bed.

DAY 48

What an incredible day this was!

Sue and Shaun arrived about 8am having driven all night so after greetings etc they went for a bit of a kip. We spent some time in the unusually warm sun in Chris and Marijana's back yard and enjoyed a lovely soup she had made.

After lunch we went to where Jackie and partner 'Duck' have their Jayco Dove at Bolivar. We spotted them going to the laundry so Sue, Shaun and Chris got chairs from the nearby campers kitchen and waited for their return. I was out of sight around the corner of the van. When they spotted the chairs they thought who is sitting in 'our space?"

When the excitement had died down a little, I sauntered around the corner of the van and that brought her undone. She hadn't dared hope that her dad would come and here I was!

It was worth every cent and every discomfort to be part of such a wonderful occasion. It was such a great time - Sue and Shaun and Cameron who arrived from Melbourne later in the evening, had booked a 3-bedroom cabin and that became our headquarters for a fantastic family reunion.

We didn't even mind that the pizzas didn't arrive till about 10pm! The cutting of the lovely Birthday Pavlova by the girls -Jackie, Marijana and Sue took place much later!

Day 49
A slow start today - I wonder why?

We all did a tour of Adelaide but poor Chris and Marijana had to work in the afternoon and missed out. We walked on the Largs Bay jetty and had lunch in the Largs pub before continuing our tour of the parklands and beaches of lovely Adelaide - I don't know any city in the world with more or nicer open spaces so close to the CBD.

Then it was back to Semaphore Park to Chrs and Marijana's home for coffee and more chatting before J&D had to make for home as there was work in the morning.

We had a quiet evening and retired early as Sue and Shaun wanted to leave by 5am for their trip back to Melbourne. Sorry the diary has been a bit slow getting on the net these past few days but there's been a bit happening! You can see I'm bright eyed and bushy tailed!

Day 50 Sue and Shaun popped into my room as they were about to leave at 5am. I gratefully went back to sleep.

I spent the day playing with C&M's computer which has lost its sound card somewhere - very careless of it I must say! I didn't find it but the sound from the USB port works.

I'm leaving here on a 10pm flight to Darwin. It gets in at 2am and then I wait for a coach at 8am to take me back down to Katherine by lunchtime. I think I'll have a little sleep then.

I'll post this now before C&M get home and we get caught up with reminiscenses.

Day 51 Well like I foretold, it was not a really good trip. I arrived in Darwin at 2am and waited till nearly 3am to retrieve my little case from the carousel. My luggage was a whole 2kg over so something had to be stowed. While retrieving the case I'd left the rest of my gear near a pillar and was keeping a distant eye on it. Someone reported it abandoned so the police came and demanded all my details from my driving license - I'm a marked man now in the NT!

Two hours sitting in a chair later and I then caught a shuttle bus to the Greyhound terminal. Got there at 5.30 but they don't open till 6am. Filled a bit of time having breakfast at a little cafe and then spent another 2 hours waiting for the bus. The bus ride was the best of the trip - nice and warm, comfy seat and smooth ride. I did have a few naps.

Katherine at last - it was like coming home and as I stepped from the bus a voice said, "You should be resting that leg!" It was ACC member John who had deduced I'd be on that bus from reading this diary and he and his wife came to meet me and take me back to the shady Lane Caravan Park. What a wonderful surprise and thoughtful gesture.

My head was in a bit of a whirl by now so the afternoon was spent on the bed with my leg up. I did go to the office and book another day so I'll leave here on the 1st of August all being well. I also booked a helicopter ride over the gorges for the morning - I did the boat trip a few years ago but thought the chopper would be different.

Day 52

I'm trying something different today- a PowerPoint Presentation of the pics I took this morning during and after a helicopter ride at the Katherine Gorges. Click for the presentation. To get back here click the 'Back one page' arrow until you get here again.You can view each slide manually and click the arrow for the next or click on 'Full screen slide show' to watch as they change every 3 seconds.

The 13 minute chopper ride was very good but you don't see the beauty of the gorges unless you are on the bank - like some of the shots I took - or on the water either in a canoe or on one of the cruises.

My friend Murphy took a certain amount of delight in the fact that the couple I was flying with should have been there at 8.15 for our 8.30 flight but strolled up at nearly nine o'clock with no "Sorry we're late" !

After the flight I did a leisurely walk down to the boat area and had breakfast in the Visitors Centre. It was a three egg omelette with mushrooms. I think they must have been re-constituted dried mushies because they were not nice and I picked most of them out and left them. The omelette was delicious and my appetite is returning at last.

Then I went into town and popped into the clinic to thank the doctor for faxing the prescription to me in Alice Springs last week. She looked at the leg and said I needn't take any more antibiotics. Hooray!

Trixie looks herself again thanks to the car wash - I'll take the van through tomorrow after I leave here - it looks very unloved at the moment.

Click to go to Page 3

Caravanning and RVing in Australia